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Baja FJ45 (Buildup thread)

240K views 593 replies 126 participants last post by  troy scott 
#1 ·
Finally starting the Baja 45 project! Little background. After years of looking for the right one I bought a 63 FJ45 SWB from a guy in Sacramento. I had big ideas from the get go but I was not sure what way to take this little truck. I knew what I was going to be using the rig for and that it had to be very dependable, store a fair amount of gear and be fun to drive. My original thought was 5.3 Chevy, 4L60E, Atlas. To be honest I have done a fair amount of fuel injected conversions and wanted a new challenge. Why not keep it Toyota? Not a week after this revelation a buddy of mine wrecked his 98 Taco with a 3.4 and a stick. I took this as a sign and bought the truck from the insurance a couple days later.
This truck will be taking my Girlfriend (Kelly) and I on many camping trips, and the trip it is really being built for, spending at least a month at a time on the Baja. Plus She loves Toyotas and would love to have something fun to drive in the summer.:D
Here are some pictures of the 45 and the Taco.
 

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#2 ·
Keeping it all Toyota!
Taco 5VZFE
Taco 5speed
Taco Tcase
Taco Rearend
FJ60 Hybrid Rearend/to make a driver side drop front end:D
FJ60 Steering box
 

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#4 ·
FJ60 Hybrid Rearend/to make a driver side drop front end:D


WOW that sounds cool but I cant se your pics waiting for more update cant wait to see her runnin
 
#8 ·
Very cool :cool:

Have you seen the 5VZFE powered seafoam green FJ45SWB that resides somewhere in western CO? Belongs to John Smetna (sp?). Saw it here in SLC a year or so ago... seemed to scoot around nicely. I wanna say it had the Taco 5spd mated to a 38mm TC to avoid the driver drop issue? Mabey using a Marlin adapter?
 
#9 · (Edited)
Yep thats Johns. Cool ass rig, dumb ass dude! He lives out in Whitewater (South of Grand Junction) about 30 miles
I am not sure what Tranny it has and I am not going to ask him:flipoff2:
That guy,:mad3: Dam don't get me going...
I know you can use a 3.0 bellhousing and use Truck Tranny and Tcase, which I do have except the Bell housing. But what the hell be different and have a driver drop Toyota solid front. I really dont think its going to be that big of a deal. Lop a couple ends off a rear end weld up some knuckles. Granted I have not really done any serious measuring to see if this is actually going to work but in theory...
 
#25 ·
That thing is going to be awesome! Are you going to deal with the short cab, or extend it a bit? How far back is the shifter going to be? Seems like it will be far back, even though you can put the engine a bunch further forward?

As for phils question:
the front diff of any fj40/45/55/60/62 all run by driving what would be the coast side of a rear diff. that is how its been for years... since the driveshafts turn the same direction, the position of the diff in the front puts the ring gear on the opposite side of the pinion, giving the correct carrier rotation...
 
#26 ·
That thing is going to be awesome! Are you going to deal with the short cab, or extend it a bit? How far back is the shifter going to be? Seems like it will be far back, even though you can put the engine a bunch further forward?


The 45 engine bay is 12" longer that the Tacoma, 9" of that is useable. Where the fire wall dips is 8" narrower on the 45. But that makes a handy spot for the crossover exhust.
From my measurements the Tcase shifter would be right at the front edge of the seat on a stock 45 bench. (If I mount the motor as far back as possable) This is no problem cause I am going to use buckets with a center consol. Now if you wanted to use dual Case you may reaching into the consol to shift:laughing:.
As far as extending the cab, Yes I want to extend it 16 inches, basically going to copy Jack (Medusa) his came out real nice.
 
#29 ·
I have been thinking about linking the rear and coilovers, cause I do have a lot of link material,heims,ect just needing to be used. But I also think Leafs may be more up to the task of the amount of crap I plan on traveling with in the bed and cargo rack. Was planing to keep the front leafs. If I can find a Super Charger for a reasonable price its on!
 
#39 ·
I had this same build in my mind a few years back, glad to someone doing it.
I have a 1970 fj40 rust free complete body, frame and axles sitting in my garage. I do like keeping it all Toyota, but I like heavy duty stuff.
I`ve decided to put an 4bt cummins, not sure what tranny yet, Atlas II, Dana 70 rear, Dana 60 front, running 37 or 38 inch tires for my daily driver, Oh! and I plan on turning my fj40 into a extra cab fj45 truck.

Hey RustyNailJustin, I see your over on the western slope sometimes, Im heading over to Proffitt`s cruisers this Saturday to check out an fj40, there putting in an 4bt this week.

I love the look of the fj45 truck you scored, dang fj45`s cost to much for me. I figured it would be alot cheaper to just turn my fj40 into a fj45 extra cab, kinda like these three, but I want a bed on it, like the two in these pics.
 

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#40 ·
I like all those 45's in the pictures. ESP the gray one.
I already have a 40 with 60's, big motor,4l60e, atlas, bla, bla, bla... I want to build a Cruiser for once thats all Toyota. I like the 4bt but I have driven one and I did not like how much the weight affected the ride, the pickup off the line, the size/height of that motor. I am going 5VZFE on this one, and I think I found a supercharger!
 
#41 ·
Nice, I`m still contemplating on doing the 3.4, that would be my next choice for the motor I would use. Ibis, over here has the 3.4 for $1,500, I`m not sure if that is a good deal, or not. Plus, you can find unleaded & diesel just about anywhere in the USA, what about southAmerica?

And I want to build an expedition rig like yourself/daily driver. I think it is possible.

I drive semi trucks for a living here in Denver, I have been driving for the last 20years here, and I do like the Cummins.

Thanks,
Scott
 
#42 ·
The cummins is a tried and true motor, great motor! 1500$ aint a bad price on a 3.4 if it comes with the tranny and ECM.
I am not sure how easy unleaded is to come by that far south??? I thought it would be hard to find in Australia when I was over there but Diesel,Unleaded, and propane were the staples of fuel stations. I would think Diesel and Unleaded would be easy down south? Not 100% sure.
If you want to see a kick ass cruiser collection while you are in Junction go visit Mike Goodknight. Has basically anything you are looking for including several LVs,Long beds,shot beds, they guy has a ton of cruiser stuff.
I am up in the North West right now for a big back country camping trip, all on snow shoes or else I would love to meet up with you down in Colorado.
 
#46 ·
You know I got a chance to ride in Gary's 45 on a 80 chassis at SNT a couple years ago and that thing was totally bad ass! I thought about putting this on the Taco chassis but if I paid this much for a 45 body and Chassis I am keeping um :)
More coming soon. I got a lot shakin in the shop :) I will get some pics and updates as I can.
 
#54 ·
You know I got a chance to ride in Gary's 45 on a 80 chassis at SNT a couple years ago and that thing was totally bad ass!
Sorry this is off topic but have you got a link to a build up anywhere of this 45 on the 80 frame?
 
#48 ·
Front diff sees only a partial amount of stress that the rear diff sees, that is how standard rotation stuff lives so well in the front. Cruiser 3rds are interchangeable, you know that.

That is also how Toyota got away with the 8" Reverse Cut 3rd in the front of the 80. RC made it stronger to make up for the downgrade in the ring gear size compared to the rear.

Justin.....that will be a nice rig. I cannot believe you can hunch your big ass in that thing though.....
 
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